Ram charges into van market

New line of large vans aimed at businesses

Ram, Chrysler’s all-truck-and-one-minivan division, is now getting into the commercial cargo van business.

On Thursday, the company showed off a line of commercial vans at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show.

The new vans, called the 2014 Ram Commercial Promaster line, take direct aim at competitors like the Ford Transit and Nissan NV series.

And like the Ford Transit, the Promaster has its roots in Europe. The vans are based on the Fiat Ducato, which has been popular overseas. It’s only natural for Ram and Fiat to share the vans since Fiat owns a majority of Chrysler.

In this case, the Fiat-based truck sounds like a perfect match for American businesses. Ram promises best-in-class fuel economy, powerful gasoline and diesel engine options and because it’s a front-wheel-drive van, the cargo floor in the back can be lower and flatter than rear-wheel drive vans.

To fit any business need, the Promaster will come in two roof heights, three wheelbases and four body lengths.

You can expect to see the new Promaster vans rolling around American streets in the third quarter of 2013.

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